Washable absorbent woven fabric article



1947- R. c. WHITMAN WASHABLE ABSORBENT WOVEN FABRIC ARTICLE- Filed Oct. 15, 1945 I Zia/620602" m 6. Q2652.

Patented Jan. 7, 1947 1 WASHABLE ABSORBENT woven FABRIC Aa'rIoLE Ross C. Whitman, Walpole, Mass., asslgnor to The Kendall Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 15, 1945, Serial No; 622,275

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in washable Woven water-absorbent unitary articles, for example, crib-pads, diapers, bibs and other nursery accessories, and masks, sponges and towels for surgical uses, all of which absorbent articles of manufacture are especially adapted for the ready, and rapid absorption of Efforts have long been made to produce such articles which will have in greater degree than those now available high qualities of water-absorbency, and quick drying and still be able to withstand repeated laundering and re-use.

In articles for use in the care of the baby, a high standard of quality has been demanded to provide such an article which is of a highly absorbentquality to insure a maximum of comfort and health of the baby, is suitable for laundering, and is durable in construction to insure a maximum of service.

Similarly, in the manufacture of said surgical articles, a. maximum degree of absorbency is demanded, together with a sufficient sturdiness and firmness of construction to withstand repeated and extremely rigorous laundering without any Illustrative of the prior art upon which the present invention is an improvement, is the pat-- ent to Sayers No. 2,118,658, dated May 24, 1938,

which discloses a crib-pad comprising a number of fabric plies of identical porous weave, light weight and soft texture, which are superposed upon one another to build up an article of the desired weight and absorbent quality.

V-ital characteristics of' the articles of the invention consist in their ability to absorb body fluids and in their washability so that such fluids may be removed therefrom. It should be stressed that these body fluids are notoriously difficult to remove by laundering, and that moreover from a hygenic standpoint it is essential that they be wholly removed. As a result, the absorbent articles with which this application deals are exposed to unusually strenuous launderings and are much more resistant. to such launderings and such stresses than are other present day materials used for these purposes. r

It is aprincipal object of the invention toprovide an improved washable absorbent article having characteristics of water absorbency in greater and more" rapid degree than such articles known in the prior art, substantially increased resistance todisintegration and linting in use, and of such'consistency and construction as to facilitate efllcient laundering and rapid drying for re-use.

More specifically, it

tion to provide a novel and improved crib-pad or similar article for use in the nursery for the care of the baby, which is better adapted for this purpose than articles of this nature available in the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to provide novel and improved washable absorbent articles which are particularly adapted for surgical uses, and which for this purpose will be capable of absorbing moisture and body fluids to a maximum degree, are particularly constructed and arranged to permit of efiicient laundering and sterilization, together with rapid drying, and are of such-firm consistency as to wholly obviate any possibility of objectionable disintegration or linting in use.

With these and other objects in view, a feature of the invention consists in the provision of a washable woven absorbent pad which comprises a multi-ply material of light weight, loose mesh woven fabric, each exterior ply consisting of woven warp and filling yarns and having an interposed layer of heavy warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, selected filling yarns of the exterior plies at intervals warpwise of said pad being interwoven with the interposed warp yarns of the pad in such a manner as to secure together said exterior plies and the heavy warp yarns of said intermediate layer with a finished-or closed edge, thereby producing a highly water ab sorbent, quick drying unitary article capable of withstanding frequent laundering and re-use.

A further feature of the invention consists more specifically in the provision of woven articles particularly adapted for the herein-described uses, having exterior plies of woven fabric of light weight and soft texture, and a nether layer of .heavy warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, so that moisture will be quickly absorbed' and tend to be drawn oiT particularly longitudinally of the warp yarns which-act as wicks in this respect. 1

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of such water-absorbent articles wherein the heavy. warp yarns of the nether layer are loosely twisted and are maintained during the is an object of the inven- A ered as a crib-pad or as a surgical accessory is woven so that the interwoven areas alternate with one another on the upper and under sides of the fabric, the filling -yarns being interwoven with or passed around the heavy warp yarns of the intermediate layer in such a manner that the warp yarns of this intermediate layer are fastened first only to one exterior ply and then, after a very substantial space, only to the other exterio'r ply.

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a portion of a washable, woven article suitable for absorbing body fluids, which may be either a crib-pad or surgical accessory .manufactured in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating specifically the manner in which selected threads of the exterior fabric plies respectively are interwoven with the interposed warp yarns.

The fabric structure illustrated in the drawings as embody ng t e several features of the invention, comprisesin each instance two exterior fabric plies, each composed of relatively hard-twisted yarns loosely woven, usually in an open weave, so as readily to permit efficient and quick water penetration through the Plies, and an intermediate layer of twisted water-absorbent warp yarns which are in the nature of floats being held in place only by the adjacent outside layers and by widely spaced ties of filling yarn.

The warp yarns of the intermediate layer are above described, have been found to have further unexpected and extraordinary qualities which particularly adapted them for washing and for repeated use for the absorption of body fluids.

The heavy warp yarns of the intermediate layer introduced as above described, have been found to retain in large measure the characteristic high water-absorbency quality of bulk absorbent cotton without any of the disadvantages which are .usually attendant upon the use of such a ma- -terial.

Whereas the extremely absorbent bulk absorbent cotton would be open to the serious objection that it cannot be easily laundered, dried and re-used, applicant has found that the through the fabric plies to wash and to dry the highly absorbent heavier yarns of the intermediate layer.

The washable multi-ply woven article for absorbing body fluids illustrated in the drawings as embodying in a preferred form the several features of the present invention, comprises an upper fabric ply Ill, a lower fabric ply I2 and an interposed layer of heavy warp yarns it. In the preferred form of the invention, the two fabric plies and interposed warp yarns are attached to one another at intervals by interweaving filling illustrated pad having the intermediate layer of heavy cellulosic warp yarns disposed and sup ported in the manner described between the relatively light-weight, loosely woven fabric plies, may be readily laundered, is dried in a surprisingly short time, and is capable of re-use over an extended period without deterioration. This fabric structure has been found to have a fine, soft texture, to be of sufficient firmness so that picks of the fabric plies respectively with the warp yarns of the interposed layer. The heavy warp yarns of the interposed layer are attached to the upper fabric ply ID at intervals of about an inch, by interweaving a single filling pick of the upper ply ill with the warp yarns of the interposed layer. Similarly, the lower fabric ply I2 .is attached to the heavy yarns of the intermediate layer at intervals of about one inch by interweaving a single filling pick therefrom with the heavy warp yarns. In order to cause a selected filling pick of the upper or surface fabric layer to be interwoven with the interposed layer of warp yarns M, the shed is formed with the warp threads of the upper layer alternating in raised and lowered position, and with the heavy warp yarns raised so that the filling pick will pass through the shed beneath the layer of warp yarn M, as shown in the left hand portion of Fig. 2. Similarly, when it is desired to cause the filling pick of the bottom fabric layer to be interwoven with the interposed layer of warp yarns M, the shed is formed with the warp threads of the lower fabric ply alternating in raised and lowered position, and with the interposed layer of warp yarns l4 ina depressed position so that the filling pick will in this instance pass over the interposed layer of heavy warp yarns, as shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 2. The interweaves by which the upper ply l0 and interposed layer of warp yarns I4 are attached together, are visible on the upper face of the fabric as weftwise extending bars IS. .The interweaves by which the lower fabric ply I2 and interposed layer of warp yarns are attached together, are visible on the under side of the fabric as bars l8 which also extend weftwise across the fabric. From the. drawing, it will be evident also that the interweaves l6 and I8 are spaced from one another in alternation, so that the Warp yarns of the intermediate layer are secured alternately to the upper and then to the lower fabric ply at intervals of one-half inch.

The edges of the unitary articles of this inven tion ar finished or bound by mean of stitching, overedge sewing or seaming, the stitching or seaming operation producing the margin generally indicated at 20 in Fig, 1 of the drawing, although other fastening means such as selvages formed by the mechanism of tubular weaving, and the interweaving of portions of the top and bottom fabric layers along lines of severance of the individual pads from the fabric, may be employed. This operation of closing the edges of the article to give it its finished form serves to provide a completely closed protecting envelope for the heavy, loosely serves to substantially improve the wearing qu ities as well as appearance of the finished article with marked improvement in laundering, resistance, and withless tendency to fraying, ravelling, sheddin andlinting. a

While only a single filling pick is interwoven to produce each weftwise bar, it will be understood that a greater number of threads may be employed in either bar if So desired. It will be understood also, that the invention is not limited to any particular construction or spacing of the attaching interweaves which may, if so desired, be spaced twisted warp yarns of the intermediate layer, 82d

bility, and which has been found suitable for use closer or farther apart as they appear on each face of the fabric, or in a different order with respect to the appearance of the interweaves on the upper and lower faces of the fabric from the alternating order of appearance illustrated in the drawing. It is contemplated also that the heavy warp yarns of the intervening layer may bearranged in the form of a panel extending across a portion only of the width of the fabric, the remaining edge portions consisting of the top and bottom fabric layers being united by continuous interweaving to form tuck cloth edges for the -finished pad. In one form of the invention, it is contemplated that the interwoven picks may be drawn from either fabric layer, and may be interwoven into the fabric in such a manner as to include and tobond together all three layers of the fabric. Assuming, for example, that the filling pick from the upper fabric layer I0 is to be interwoven in such a manner as to secure together the upper layer, the interposed layer of heavy warp yarns and the bottom fabric layer, the shed could be formed in accordance with accepted weaving practice with the warp threads of the upper fabric alternating in raised and lowered position, and with the warp yarns ofthe interposed layer and some or all of the warp threads of the bottom fabric layer relatively raised so that the filling pick passes beneath these raised warpwise extending yarns orends.

fabric plies.

as a crib-pad has in each ply a 42x38weave with 145 warp yarns and 17 filling yarns. The intermediate layer is composed of 14s warp yarns which are spaced 42 to the inch. .A binding is attached by stitching around the four sides of the pad to close and finish the edges; In this embodiment of the invention, warp yarns which are of the same size, or which may be nearly of the same size, have been employed for both exterior plies and forthe intermediate layer of warp yarns in order to simplify the problem of mill production which is made substantially more dimcult when the loom is required to handle simultaneously warp yarns of different size or quality.- It has been found that the warp yarns of the intermediate layer which are in the form of relatively free floats tend to bunch or mat with repeated laundering to form a' thick intermediate layer of highwater-absorbency and quick drying quality, and the results so obtained are comparable to those obtained from the use of a .smaller number of much heavier warp yarns in the intermediate layer.

It will be understood that the fabric produced in accordance with the invention may be employed interchangeably for any of the several uses contemplated by the invention.- The coarseness of weave and yarn sizes depend upon particular requirements of' use and customer demand; -In general, it may be stated that the heavy yarns employed for the intermediate layer will be highly water-absorbent, are preferably of loose twist, and are of substantially larger size than the I yarns employed in the weaving of the exterior fabric plies, which will be of relatively small size, will be hard twisted and will be loosely woven to provide relatively open-mesh, porous exterior Within the scope of the invention,

I however, and in accordance with the example Ina typical fabric of this construction for use I as a crib-pad, each ply might have, for,example, a 42x38 weave and be made of 30s warp yarn and .30s'iilling yarn. The weave canbe varied considerably, and in the typical example given may be as'low in thread count as 32x28 or as high as "52x48. The yarns of the fabric plies may vary between 10s and s.

The warp yarns of'the inposed layer [4 are preferably also of bleached cotton, and are of large size preferably between 4s and 32s, although even rovings may be used to further increase the absorbent quality and full-. ness of the fabric, and to cause these yarns to have a wick-like action to draw oif moisture from the position occupied by the baby.

A typical fabric of this construction for use as a surgical pad or towel will have the same conabove given, the size of the warp yarns of the external plies may be increased and the warp yarns of the intermediate layer may be relatively decreased to permit the use in the loom of warp yarns of substantially the same size and weight, where the numbers of warp yarns employed in the intermediate layer is sufficient under conditions of actual use and repeated launderings to form a relatively thick absorbent mat of such yarns.

As previously pointed out, in the preferred form of the invention, bleached cotton is considered to be a suitable and indeed a preferred material both for the exterior plies and for the heavy warp yarns of the intermediate ply. It is contemplated, however, that heavy warp yarns composed of any freely water-wettable cellulosic material may be employed, of which examples include in addition to bleached cotton, other seed and bast fibers such as kapok and linen, and the regenerated cellulose yarns such as viscose and cupra-ammonium yarns. It will be understood that a similarly wide range of yarns may be employed in the manufacture of the exterior fabric plies with the further proviso that yarns which do not absorb water and are in fact waterrepellant may be employed, and in certain cases may be preferred in order to produce a feeling or impression of dryness in the exterior surfaces of the particular article despite a large amount of water retained by the wick-like interposed warp yarns.

The warp yarns of the interposed layerlare preferably tied in only by means of the interwoven threads above referred to. Generally speaking, the interwoven narrow bars may include from one to eight threads, although one to not more than four are preferred when these threads are passed around 'all of the yarn of the intermediate layer, and may be spaced at intervals from one-quarter to four inches apart. However, for some uses it may be found desirable to vary the spacings between bars beyond the limits mentioned.

When fabrics constructed and arranged in the manner above described are "bleached and subsequently laundered, a greater fulling, fiuffing and crimping of the loosely-twisted and loosely held yarns of the interposed layer within the fabric occurs, still further increasing the absorbency, thickness and softness of the fabric and of the articles made therefrom.

A further advantage of the present construe-- tion is to be found in the more efficient construction and arrangement of the several parts of the article, so that each part performs more emciently the particular function assigned to it. The two fabric plies forming the upper and lower contact surfaces are preferably of a fine, soft texture, and are also of sufficiently durable construction to insure a maximum length 'of service. The interposed layer of warp yarns is particularly adapted on the other hand, for-use as an absorbent pad, and is constructed and arranged solely with this end in view.

Applicants improved washable absorbent pad has been found unexpectedly to compare favorably with fabric pad constructions of the prior art including the crib-pad of the Sayers patent, in case of laundering and particularly in drying qualities. The drying time for applicants improved washable absorbent pad has been found to average between 16 and 17 minutes under standard drying conditions, as compared, for example, wlth a drying time of an ordinary quilted crib-pad of approximately one and a. quarter hours.

'Another advantage of applicants improved washable absorbent pad particularly for use in the nursery, consists in the manner in which it operates to absorb and to draw off moisture collected while the pad is in use. The warp yarns have a wick-like a-ction tending to draw the moisture off in the direction of the warp, causing moisture to spread out in the form of an oval. In order to take full advantage of this feature, cribpads manufactured in accordance with the. invention are arranged for use with the warp extending transversely of the crib and the filling lengthwise thereof, thus providing a substantial improvement both from the standpoint of comfort of the baby and of sanitation.

The illustrated washable absorbent pad of the present invention has the further advantage that it may bemanufactured at substantially less cost than such articles in the prior art which are built up of a relatively larger number of identical layers or plies of material. The fabric is well adapted to be produced on a power loom, and will obviously be produced at a substantially faster rate than such articles in the prior art, for the reason that the number of filling picks required in the production of the fabric is proportionately less for the two fabric plies than would be necessary for the six to eight fabric plies required for a standard type of pad.

This application is a continuation in part of the application of Ross C. Whitman, Serial No. 516,437, for Fabric, filed December 31, 1943.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and

that variou deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l.,; As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent woven fabric pad comprising two superposed exterior plies of relatively lightweight, loose mesh woven fabric, and an interposed thicker layer of heavy cellulosic warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, each of said exterior plies having filling yarns thereof at spaced intervals warpwise of the fabric interwoven with the warp yarns of said interposed layer, thereby producing a highly water-absorbent, quick-drying pad suitable to withstand repeated laundering,

2. As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent woven fabric pad comprising two superposed exterior plies of relatively lightweight loose mesh fabric woven from light-weight hard-twisted yarns, and. an interposed thicker layer of heavy, highly water-absorbent low-twist cotton warp yarns, each of said exterior plies having filling yarns thereof at spaced intervals warpwise of the fabric interwoven with the warp yarns of said interposed layer, thereby producing a highly water-absorbent quick-drying pad suitable for frequent laundering.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent woven fabric pad comprising two superposed exterior plies of relatively lightweight, loose mesh woven fabric, and an interposed thicker layer of heavy cellulosic warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, selected exterior ply filling yarns at intervals warpwise of said pad being interwoven with the said interposed warp yarns of the pad in such a manner as to secure said exterior plies to heavy warp yarns of said intermediate layer, thereby producing a highly water-absorbent, quick-drying pad suitable for frequent laundering.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent pad comprising-two exterior plies of relatively light-weight loose mesh woven fabric and an interposed thicker layer of heavy cellulosic warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, each of said exterior plies having one or more filling yarns thereof at spaced intervals warpwise oi the fabric passing around substantially all of the 50 warp yarns of the intermediate layer for fastening each of said exterior plies to the intermediate Iayer thereby producing a highly water-absorbent, quick-drying pad suitable for frequent laundering.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent pad comprising two exterior plies of 1 relatively light-weight loose mesh woven fabric and an interposed thicker layer of heavy cellulosic warp yarns of highly absorbent quality,

0 each of said exterior plies having a tie of one to four consecutive filling yarns at spaced intervals of one-quarter to four inches warpwise of the fabric passing around substantially all of the warp yarns of the intermediate layer for fasten ing each of said exterior plies to the intermediate layer, thereby producing a highly water-absorbent quick-drying pad suitable for frequent laundering.

6. An absorbent pad which comprises two open-mesh superposed woven plies each having a warp count of between 32 and 52 and a filling count of between 28 and 48 and composed of cotton yarns of sizes between 18s and 40s, and

a layer of heavy warp yarns composed of absorbent cotton yarns of between 4s and 13s intering filling yarns thereof at spaced intervals warpwise of the fabric interwoven with the warp yarns of said layer for attaching each of said plies to the interposed layer of warp yarns.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent woven fabric pad comprising two,

superposed exterior plies of relatively lightweight, loose mesh fabric, and an interposed layer of cellulosic warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, each of said exterior plies having filling yarns thereof at spaced intervals warpwise of the fabric interwoven with the warp yarns of said interposed layer, andhaving the exterior plies attached to one another around the entire edge of said article, thereby producing a highly Water-absorbent, quick-drying article suitable to withstand'repeated laundering.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a washable absorbent pad comprising two exterior plies of relatively light-weight loose mesh woven fabric and an interposed thicker layer of heavy cellulosic warp yarns of highly absorbent quality, each of said exterior plies having a tie of one to eight consecutive filling picks at spaced intervals of one-quarter to four inches warpwise of the fabric passing around substantially all of the warp yarns of the intermediate layer for fastening each of said exterior plies to the intermediate layer, thereby producing 'a .highly water-absorbent quick-drying pad suitable for frequent laundering.

9. As an article of manufacture, a washable absorbent pad which comprises two relatively light-weight open-mesh superposed Woven plies each havinga warp count of between 24 and 52 and a filling count of between 20 and 48 and of yarn sizes between 105 and 50s, and a layerof relatively heavy highly water-absorbent cellulosic warp yarns of between 4s and 32s interposed between, said plies, selected filling yarns at intervals warpwise of said pad being interwoven with the warp yarns of the pad in such a manner as to secure said plies to heavy warp yarns of said intermediate layer, thereby producing a highly water-absorbent, quick-drying pad suitable for frequent, laundering.

ROSS C. WHITMAN. 

